


Precipice

by Turningonthelight



Series: Tumblr Drabble Prompts [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drabble, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-06-27
Packaged: 2018-02-06 11:38:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1856724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turningonthelight/pseuds/Turningonthelight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He had never seen her cry, and there was something so frightfully human about it, that Draco could not bring himself to turn away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Precipice

**Author's Note:**

> prompt by anon: Draco reconsiders his muggle-born prejudices when he physically harms Hermione Granger by accident

Draco had never seen Hermione Granger cry. He had seen her red in the face from anger, fists clenched, features schooled in a haughty attempt to keep her emotions under control. He’d seen her vicious and bitter with words like acid dripping from her filthy mouth. He had seen her tired and exasperated, ready to collapse, all fight drawn from her for just that one hour. But he had never seen her cry, and there was something so frightfully  _human_ about it, that Draco could not bring himself to turn away.

 

     Weasley and Potter are beside her in a second, and Weasley takes her hand in his and inspects the deep gash going across the back of her hand. He turns to Draco, face furious. “What the  _fuck_  is  _wrong_  with you, Malfoy?” he demands.

     “Ten points from Gryffindor for obscene language, Mr Weasley. Keep a civil tongue in my classroom,” Snape snaps from the font of the classroom, and Potter sends the Potion’s master a toxic glare. “If it is that bad, take her to the hospital wing,” Snape says, sounding exasperated “I don’t want a drop of blood on my floor.”

     “Wouldn’t want to get it all  _muddy,_ ” Pansy cackles from where she sits beside Draco.

     Potter leaps up, hand at his pocket as though reaching for his wand, but Granger puts her good hand on his arm, stopping him. Her crying is silent, consisting of a clenched jaw and eyes screwed shut, tight, tears leaking out of the sides. Draco simply stares, transfixed. “Harry, I need—“ she begins.

     “Right.” Potter removes his hand from his wand and he and Weasley both stand and start walking towards the dungeon doors.  

     “Only one can accompany Miss Granger,” Snape says.

     Potter and Weasley share a glance. “You can go,” Draco hears Potter murmur. “I suppose I’ll have less of a chance of ripping Malfoy to shreds.” Weasley gives a gruff sound of assent and puts an arm around Granger’s shoulder, guiding her out the door.

     “Now if we’re quite done, I’d like to continue the lesson,” Snape says, turning back to the board.

     On his way back to his seat, Potter passes Draco’s desk. “You’re vile, Malfoy,” he hisses, and Draco can see the tension in his muscles, in his jaw and his neck as he says it, he can tell that Potter is just barely restraining himself from punching Draco in the face. “You’re fucked up and cruel, and if you hurt my friends again I will personally hex you into next week.”

     Draco wants to explain that it was an accident, that he was aiming for Granger’s cauldron and her hand simply got in the way, that they were only brewing a cheering potion and he only wanted to make Granger lose the grade, but his words are caught in his throat. All he can think about is Granger’s tears, shiny and wet and real and human, and the blood pouring from her hand, the bright,  _red_ blood.

     “Twenty points from Gryffindor for foul language and violent threats,” Snape says snidely from the board. “Get back to your seat, Mr Potter, before I send you to the Headmaster.”

     “You didn’t see what Malfoy did?” he shouts. “He blew off the top of Hermione’s _hand!_ ”

     “Five points from Slytherin, then.”

     “ _Five points_?”

     “As there is no proof that Mr Malfoy did anything with intention to harm Miss Granger, I see no point in deducting more. Now sit down Mr Potter, or I will send you to the Headmaster!”

     Potter’s jaw twitches and his fists clench so hard that the knuckles turn white, but Draco isn’t really paying attention anymore. All he sees is Granger tears, and her blood, her oh-so-red blood, and Pansy’s voice is ringing in his ear, “ _Wouldn’t want to get it all_ muddy _.”_

He feels as though he is standing on a precipice, with no net to catch him when he falls, and no clue as to what may lie at the bottom. 


End file.
